Sunday, October 25, 2015

Hi folks! We're in the midst of fall here in Boston, and the leaves are turning from green to the gorgeous autumn colors of yellow, orange, and red. I recently got a hair wand and have been so excited about curling my hair lately. I feel like it keeps me warmer in the colder seasons!

Fall is for bundling up, which translates to leggings, layers, and ginormous scarves. But that doesn't mean we can't still frolic around in flowy dresses (yes, even white ones - even after labor day)!

I find this SheInside dress to be super versatile (and under $17!!). The front is plain, white and flowy, which is a great blank canvas for any outfit. The best part, though, is the back of the dress - where you'll find a huge white bow! This goes perfectly with my style, which tends to be more feminine and romantic.

I paired the look with a utility jacket, belt, long necklace and ankle booties for a more bohemian look.

Obsessed with this bow! Be sure to check out SheInside for their great selection of unique pieces like this one - I'm glad to have found them!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

After kayaking all afternoon in the blistering heat, all you really want is a good hearty meal (and maybe a cool glass of water). We strolled through the North End and finally stumbled upon the cutest little Italian restaurant: Trattoria il Panino.

We all split the mussels, which is good because it turns out all of the dishes are pretty much family sized!

This pesto pasta tasted really fresh and light.

Various meats with pasta - so good and hearty!

Okay, I swear my lasagna tasted better than it looks in this picture.

The space was on the smaller side, but being cramped in together somehow gave it a more authentic feel. Plus, all of the staff actually spoke Italian, which really added to the ambiance. Plus, it was off of the main streets which meant less tourists and a quick table!

Sunday, October 18, 2015

I'm a big fan of Brazilian food. While at UCLA, I dined at WeHo's Bossa Nova and have been smitten ever since. So naturally I was excited to try Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian Steakhouse in Copley Square. There's a few things that make Fogo de Chao Churrascaria (that's Brazilian for ground fire steakhouse), stand out from other restaurants - Brazilian or otherwise. Read on to find out what it's all about!

Right off the bat, we're pretty excited about these fresh-out-of-the-oven cheesy balls in place of the standard rolls and butter. We accidentally started to fill up on these before our food came though, so be careful there!

Getting fancy.

They have a decent salad bar to peruse so you can pretend like you're not only going to eat straight meat for dinner. It's not the best salad bar ever, but then again you don't go to a steakhouse for the salad right?

You are also brought side dishes such as the amazing caramelized bananas, garlic mashed potatoes, and farofa (fried yucca) pictured above.

This is the funnest part: Each person gets a coaster that is red on one side and green on the other side. If you leave the green side up, the wait staff will immediately and continually bring you cuts of various meats! If you flip it to the red side, they will leave you to continue your meal. There were a couple instances where I had to rush to turn it to the red side just in time! This adds an interactive element to the meal that is pretty unique and fun.

They bring out the meat on these contraptions and ask you how many pieces you want.

The Salad Bar

The Salad Bar

I thought these wine barrels looked pretty epic.

We were there so long it was dark when we left! I also liked their backlit sign. All in all, the food was delicious and the waitstaff was friendly and knowledgeable about the (extensive) menu. We're already planning a return trip!

Comment Challenge: Have you ever been to a steakhouse? What was your experience like there?

Monday, October 5, 2015

There are some cuisines that Boston has down pat: take their lobster rolls, oysters, and clam chowder as an example. Other genres are lacking a bit in New England, such as amazing Mexican food (sure, I'm biased because I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA where the Mexican food is amazing, but still). Yet what it lacks in tacos and enchiladas, Boston makes up for in comfort food - and Sweet Cheeks Q near Fenway Park is the perfect example.

First of all, let's just chat about their biscuits for a second. I'm not talking KFC little dingy biscuits here - these guys are almost the size of my face, light and fluffy, and come with a side of honey butter. I literally would have bought this honey butter from Sweet Cheeks if they sold it on site.

As you can see, you don't go to Sweet Cheeks Q for the pristine china dishes. You go for the greasy comfort food literally served on a tray, and it speaks for itself. I got the Berkshire Pulled Pork Sandwich, which came on a bulkie roll with pickles and onions. It comes without sauce, but each table is fully equipped with a BBQ sauce, spicy jabanero sauce, and a tangy vinegar sauce. I really enjoyed my hearty sandwich, opting to switch off each bite with either the vinegar or BBQ sauce.

Above is the Berkshire Pulled Pork Tray. All trays come with one "hot scoop" and one "cold scoop," along with the usual pickles and onions. Pictured here is the hot potato salad and cold collard greens. I'm not a fan of collard greens, but I loved how they were presented in a little blue mug.

All in all, Sweet Cheeks Q is great for some filling comfort food. You definitely will walk away feeling like maybe you should start training for a marathon or something because you're literally that full, but then you'll probably go shopping instead like we did. Shopping is cardio after all, right?

Friday, October 2, 2015

The now-familiar chill of fall is in the air, but I'm still rocking my summer dresses! Many of you may remember my previous eShakti dress post, but for those who don't, eShakti is a brand that creates a customized dress according to your own unique measurements. My last dress with them was a fall plaid with scallops, so I opted for a lighter white and black dress this time around.

I love the scoop neck and black outlines, which give the summer dress some structure. The material is pretty thick and high quality. Plus, perhaps my favorite thing about eShakti is the option to put POCKETS in all of the dresses you order from them. Of course, I always opt for pockets. I love the idea of being able to head out without a purse and put everything in your pockets.